1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a literary work royalty accounting method, and more particularly to a literary work royalty accounting method suitable for use for distribution of literary works such as, for example, music data or a computer program to customers through a communication circuit such as the Internet and a network system for the literary work royalty accounting method as well as a recording medium on which a control program for the literary work royalty accounting method is recorded.
2. Description of the Related Art
Literary works such as music data or a computer program are conventionally recorded on and sold as a recording medium such as a compact disk to a customer. Recently, however, distribution of such literary works on-line to customers through a communication circuit such as the Internet is increasing progressively. Therefore, the production cost, transportation cost and selling cost which have been required conventionally are not required any more, and the rate of the royalty for copyright occupying in the royalty for literary works imposed on customers is increasing.
A network system for carrying out a literary work royalty accounting method of the type described conventionally has, for example, such a configuration as shown in FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 4, the network system includes a management terminal apparatus 1, a literary work provider terminal apparatus 2, and a customer terminal apparatus 3 which are connected to each other by a communication circuit NW such as, for example, the Internet. The management terminal apparatus 1 is formed from an information processing apparatus such as, for example, a work station or a server and is managed on consignment of a literary work provider. The management terminal apparatus 1 enciphers the right of use of literary works such as, for example, music data and sells it to a customer through the communication circuit NW. The literary work provider terminal apparatus 2 is formed from an information processing apparatus such as, for example, a work station or a server and distributes music data to the customer terminal apparatus 3 through the communication circuit NW. In this instance, the literary work provider terminal apparatus 2 enciphers and distributes the music data. The customer terminal apparatus 3 purchases the enciphered right of use of literary works through the communication circuit NW in advance, and receives music data desired by a customer and distributed from the literary work provider terminal apparatus 2 through the communication circuit NW and deciphers the enciphered right of use and music data so that the music data may be used by the customer.
In the network system shown in FIG. 4, the right of use of music data is enciphered and transmitted from the management terminal apparatus 1 through the communication circuit NW and then received by the customer terminal apparatus 3. The right of use includes a predetermined royalty to be imposed. Enciphered music data is laid open on the communication circuit NW from the literary work provider terminal apparatus 2. The customer will operate the customer terminal apparatus 3 to receive and use music data literary works distributed through the communication circuit NW.
The conventional literary work royalty accounting method, however, has the following problem.
In particular, since a fixed amount of money is set as the royalty for each of music data distributed from the literary work provider terminal apparatus 2 to the customer terminal apparatus 3 through the communication circuit NW, even if the customer uses the music data freely after the music data are received, the fixed royalty is imposed on the customer irrespective of the frequency of use of the music data. Therefore, to a customer who uses music data comparatively less frequently, an excessively high royalty is imposed relative to the frequency of use. On the other hand, where music data are used by a customer who uses such music data frequently, the royalty for copyright received by the proprietor of the copyright of the music data is excessively low relative to the frequency of use by the customer. In this manner, the conventional literary work royalty accounting method has a problem in that the royalty is not imposed reasonably based on the frequency of use of literary works.